Strange Girl
by TryRunAgainstTheWind
Summary: In their sixth year of Hogwarts, Rose Weasley is waiting for big things to change. Little does she realise, they already are. Strange things are happening to her, including the handsomely irritating Scorpius Malfoy...
1. Chapter 1

**Ah, my first HP fanfic :) is it weird that I cried during the battle? Anyway, a Rose/Scorpius fanfic with a kind of dark twist.**

**Review and tell me what you think :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the HP characters :(**

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><p>The willows were swaying. They always did this in the wind. The grass was wildly unkempt; she could just raise her hand and brush the thick, rough meadow on her fingertips.<p>

Rose Weasley stood in the midst of such a meadow, watching the sun set over the hills. The Burrow was a half a mile walk behind her, and the willow trees held a cool shelter from the crowded and overwhelming presence of her many, many cousins.

But Rose Weasley was lost in her own thoughts; haunted by her own nightmares of death, but wary to tell a soul. But here, in this field full of bull frogs and rabbits, nothing could ever happen like such horror. She had tried to tell her mother once, but it merely made her more frustrated than ever before:

"_Oh sweetheart, are these recent dreams?" Her mother stroked her unruly hair. _

"_Yes. I keep dreaming of death in a different way. Every night." She sighed and bit her lip._

"_Well, I know what the problem is. I used to have the same trouble; it's just change, dear."_

"_Change?"_

"_Yes. You're going into sixth year now. That was when everything changed for me, anyway."_

_Rose raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand…"_

"_Well, that was when I fell in love with your father. Would've been sooner if he hadn't been such a prat." She said the last part louder, and a distant chuckle echoed from the kitchen._

"_Look," She put her hands on my shoulders. "Don't worry about these dreams. They'll go away the second you get to Hogwarts."_

"_Alright." Rose muttered grudgingly. She left the table and trudged up to her room where Dominique was flitting around, packing her bag already._

Now it was the day before she boarded the handsome red steam train, and the dreams had not yet subsided. If anything, they just became weirder; she now saw the ghost of a girl with long brown hair, screaming her name.

She would wake with a shudder, and stumble downstairs for a glass of Butterbeer. She knew where her Gran kept her secret stash.

Rose watched the dying light, and thought wistfully of Hogwarts and its towering stone mass in the darkness; the way it always looked before the students finally returned.

"Rose." She heard a soft voice come from behind her, and a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hi Albus." She didn't turn her head to him until he was standing next to her.

"Having fun?"

"A great laugh."

"Hm. Well dinner's ready. You should probably come, instead of trying to connect with your inner demon." He shrugged, hiding a grin.

Rose cracked a smile and hit her cousin over the head. They trundled back to The Burrow, where loud arguments and laughter wafted into the night air.

"What's for dinner?" Rose asked Albus, who was now sniffing through the windows.

"Smells like Shepherd's Pie."

"Mmm… Merlin, I hope it is." She rubbed her grumbling tummy. Sure enough, when they entered the crowded kitchen, big portions of tasty Shepherd's Pie was being given out. Rose took a generous portion and sat next to James who was having an animated conversation with Victoire.

"Is everyone packed?" Shouted a worried Grandmother Weasley.

"Relax, Mum, I'll sort this out." Her father patted her back reassuringly. "If anybody isn't packed by half eight tonight, they can spend the whole year cleaning old Aunt Muriel's bloomers…" Ron shouted above the chit chat. The children looked at him in utmost horror, and dropping their plates, ran to their unpacked trunks.

James and Teddy roared with laughter. "Ron!" Hermione smacked his shoulder. "That's no way to talk about you dead aunt."

"It got them packing, did it not?" He smiled down at his scowling wife. She pursed her lips and went to help Ginny clear the table.

Rose had just gulped down her portion when her mother swept up her plate and cutlery, and with a fond pat on the head, rushed back to the kitchen. Albus and she had received their OWL results that summer; Rose had gotten eight Outstanding's and one Exceeds Expectations. Albus, three Outstanding's, one Exceeds Expectations, two Average, and only one Poor. Her father had given her a hearty grin and a tickly kiss on the cheek. Her mother had shed an embarrassing tear, before she dissolved into confusing sobs. Ron had to drag her into the garden to calm her down. Her Uncle Harry had also given her a peck, and Ginny gave her a hug, whispering in her ear as she did so, "I think your mother is remembering when she had gotten her OWL results. Don't worry about it."

Rose and her mother had laughed it off, but every time she mentioned the past, in any shape or form, a flicker of pain would cross her mother's face. But her father would always be there, covering up her mother's sadness.

When she felt someone nudge her back, she literally jumped off the chair. Her mind had been completely occupied with her mother's departing figure.

"Sorry Rosie-poo. Didn't mean to frighten you." Teddy's cheeky face winked at her. If possible, he had gotten taller over the summer.

"No, no, you didn't." Rose smiled. "But don't call me Rosie-poo." She frowned. Teddy laughed and threw an arm around her shoulder. His hair was currently in his favourite wind blown spikes, and an eye-wincing blue.

"But you're my little Rosie," He said pinching a cheek. She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Well, me and Victoire must be off. We're heading to Italia tomorrow." He sighed, glancing at his elegant girlfriend.

"Oh, well excuse me." Rose said sarcastically, laughing.

"Yes, yes. A hard life, you know?" He smiled. "But seriously, I want you to write to me every week. Tell me the latest goss at Hoggywarts, eh?"

Rose nodded, still laughing.

"And if I _hear_ you have a boyfriend…" He shook his head. "Poor lad better watch out."

Rose aimed a punch at his stomach, but he dodged and unslung his hand. With an immature giggle, he hid behind a scolding Victoire.

"Teddy? What are you _doing_?" She said crossly.

"Oh, nothing." He said, glancing at a sniggering Rose. Victoire rolled her eyes and took his hand, but not before he stuck his tongue out at Rose.

She made her way up to her bedroom, still smiling, and found Lily packing frantically.

"Help!" She cried. "I don't want to clean out Aunt Muriel's bloomers! There's probably a nest of flobberworms living in them."

"Alright, relax, I'm helping." Rose folded her Muggle clothes, and placed them in her trunk. She then neatly placed her Hogwarts robes on top of them. Lily threw her schoolbooks in unceremoniously. She sighed with relief.

"Thanks Rose." She slumped onto the ground by her trunk. Rose joined her. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Can't wait to go back." Rose spoke quietly.

"I know, same. I hope I get onto the Quiddtich team." She said wistfully.

"Ah yeah, I'd say you will. Al is fair when it comes to that sort of stuff."

Lily snorted. "We'll see about that."

"Isn't Lorcan and Lysander in your year?"

Lily tried to suppress a giggle. "Yeah. Lorcan isn't so bad, bit of a dreamer. Lysander is all out loony." The girls laughed.

"But they're awfully handsome." Rose said, watching Lily's face carefully. She blushed faintly.

"I suppose…"

Rose nudged Lily suggestively. They broke down into giggles again. When they had calmed down to snorting, Rose stood up and looked out the window, only to see her and Lily reflected back. The night was a velvety blanket so quiet, the subdued noise in the house sounding like screaming.

Rose's face was a serious mask as she stared at her standing frame.

"I'm going to bed." Lily said. She could see the worry on her cousin's face through the window. It isn't me she needs to be worry about, Rose thought. It's the dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

Black shadows leering over her. A girl in ragged clothes and long, dark hair screaming.

"Rose!" she shouted in terror. Her face was covered in blood. "Up!" she screamed. What? Up what? The black sky became blurry and her screams faded…

"UP!" A voice said. Rose opened her eyes and found herself back in her room, Aunt Ginny shaking her shoulders.

"Come on now, girls! Up we get." She pulled the duvet off Rose's cosy body. She groaned, irritated, and fell out of the bed.

"Oww…" She howled as her head hit the ground.

"Oh for the love of." Ginny sighed, not bothering to finish her sentence. "Let's go Rosie. Up and out." She pulled her sleepy niece and threw her onto the bed. Rose stood up and rubbed her sore head.

Lily looked just as bad as Rose felt. The two girls got dressed grudgingly and both made their way downstairs. Albus was eating his breakfast contentedly, and Ron was whistling cheerily.

"Good morning ladies." He flashed them a smile. Rose glared at the china plate in front of her. Food came whizzing through the door and landed with a 'slop' on their plates.

Hermione and Ginny pulled brushes through their hair like they were six again, and Harry loaded all the bags into the Muggle car.

"Shotgun!" Shouted Ron. Ginny and Hermione laughed and the adults piled into the front, and Lily, Rose, Hugo and Albus sat in the back. Hugo had only come back from his friend's house a day or two ago, and had been hibernating in the garden, practising his Quiddtich with Harry.

The car rumbled through the streets of England. Rose watched the Muggle's walking down the footpath, many carrying bags, some in sharp suits that looked hot and uncomfortable. She watched them in fascination as they slowly went into the heart of the city.

Harry was a much better driver than their father, and he parked smoothly by the entrance to King's Cross. They took out their trunks and owls. Rose petted Pigwidgeon II, her handsome mahogany owl. They wheeled into the station and walked past each platform.

5,6,7,8,9… "Here we go." Said Harry. Albus and Hugo rushed through the wall of platform nine. Lily followed, with a dainty skip. Rose pushed her heavy trolley into a jog and rushed through the wall. She could smell the steam before she opened her eyes, and she was standing in platform nine and three quarters. The red steam train was almost indistinguishable with the mass of parents and students milling about the doors.

Rose took charge almost immediately. "Right. See you later then Albus, Lily, Hugo. Save me a seat?" She said to her brother and cousins. They nodded and set off towards a random carriage.

"Bye Mum. I'm off to the Prefects carriage."

"Oh, bye Rosie!" Her mother gave her a hug and patted her auburn hair.

Her father gave her a quick peck on the cheek and a hug. "See you at Christmas, love. Don't get into too much trouble." He gave her a wink.

Rose hid her blush. "Dad, I'm a _prefect_." She rolled her eyes and hugged her uncle and aunt.

"See you later!" With a final wave, she rushed into the Prefect carriage. She chose an empty compartment, and put her bags on the shelf.

"Hi Rose." Andrew Wood appeared at the compartment door.

"Oh, hello Andrew!" Rose smiled at her fellow Gryffindor prefect. He sat across from her and pulled out _the Daily Prophet_.

"How was your summer?"

"Not too bad. Had all the eight thousand relatives over. You?"

"Quiet. I did a lot of Quiddtich and stuff." He shrugged. They lapsed into easy conversation of summer events.

Andrew was just finishing his story of when he and his brother went climbing up some mountains in France.

"My brother thought we were looking for giants. Bit of a daydreamer, he is. But we had just reached the mid way point when we saw what looked like a dragon's cave…" Rose listened politely to Andrew's story, but an all too familiar face popped around the door.

Rose tried to hide her scowl as the boy lounged against the door. Andrew stopped talking and smiled.

"Hello Scorpius."

"Morning Andrew." Scorpius Malfoy drawled. He had to be the first Malfoy to ever be put into the Ravenclaw house. "Hey Rosie." He grinned.

Rose reluctantly turned to glare at the fair headed boy. "Hello Malfoy. How many times do I have to tell you, my name is _Rose_." She snapped.

Scorpius laughed. "And how many times do I have to tell _you_, my name is Scorpius. Not _Malfoy_."

"Goodbye, _Scorpius_." Rose growled.

"Nice to see you too." He gave her a wink and slunk off to his crowd of trouble makers.

"How did he get assigned a prefect?" Rose said more to herself than Andrew.

"Well, he's actually quite responsible, and lots of people listen to him…" Andrew babbled on but Rose stopped listening to him. She was watching the messy blonde hair descend down the carriage.

Rose couldn't wait until the silly prefect speech was made by the Head Boy and Girl, and she was finally free to go. As they droned on, Rose remembered when she first met Scorpius. She'd been in first year and he'd been messing with the ingredients in Potions. To this day, Rose didn't know what he'd actually done, but her robes had caught fire. She had screamed and wriggled as the teacher put them out with a flick of his wand. She'd been wary of him since then, but in fourth year, he became arrogant and irritating, and followed Rose around, playing silly pranks on her. On two occasions, she had actually smacked him, but yet he still came running back to irritate her until she was ready to wring his neck.

She snapped herself back to reality, just as the Head Boy's and Girl's finished their speech. Rose jumped out of her seat and hurried to find her family.

"Blegh…" She groaned as she slumped down next to Lily. Lysander and Lorcan were sitting with them. Hugo was looking almost afraid as Lysander showed something to him in _The Quibbler_.

"Hello Rose." Said Lorcan distantly. Lily tried not to giggle.

"Hi Lorcan." She watched his unblinking blue eyes drink in her weary appearance.

"Have a nice summer?"

"Oh yes. Lysander and I went Mauble Hunting. We almost found one. That's what Mother said anyway…" He drifted off, now staring at Lily.

Rose shot a questioning look at Albus, but he just shrugged and continued to read _The Daily Prophet_. The food trolley pulled up outside the door a few minutes later, and they all munched on Chocolate Frogs.

As the sky darkened, the train slowed, and finally pulled to a stop. Excited chatter reverberated through the compartments, and heads poked out of doors.

"Firs' years this way! Firs' years over here!" A husky voice shouted in the throng of black robes. The first years moved nervously towards the half giant man.

"Hi Hagrid!" Rose shouted. He gave a hearty wave, and a smile grew beneath his salt and pepper beard. People began to load onto the thestral drawn carriages, and off into the night. Rose, Hugo, Lily, Albus, Lorcan and Lysander squished into one. Rose still found it eerie the way she couldn't see the black winged creatures, and the way the carriages looked self operated. But she banished doubt, and watched the handsome castle draw nearer and nearer.

"Name?" said Professor Flitwick. Rose rolled her eyes. After six years of teaching her, the Professor still asked for her name.

"Rose Weasley." She sighed.

"Right, on you go so." Professor Flitwick nodded and Rose stepped inside the gates. Lily and she walked down the cobbled path that wound towards the great doors. She thought she saw a flash of white blonde hair, but shook it from her head. Immediately, the smell of parchment and wood engulfed her nose. She breathed in deeply, and looked at the four long tables in the Great Hall. She was home again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Come on first years!" Rose clapped her hands. A long line of newly sorted Gryffindor first years came rushing behind her. Andrew took the lead, and brought them up the eight flights of stairs to the Gryffindor common room.

"Right, the password is 'Periwinkles', but that will change every two to three weeks. We will be sure to inform when such a change arises. Now, the door to the left is the girl's dormitories, and the door to the right is the boy's dormitories. Your schedule will be posted on the notice board at seven o' clock sharp tomorrow morning. Goodnight to you all." Rose nodded at the gaping first years, and Andrew stood with his hands in his pockets.

After the last first year closed the dormitory door, Andrew cleared his throat.

"Well… er good job. See you in the morning." He said, and made his way up the stairs and through the dormitory door.

With a tummy full of treacle tart, Rose trudged up the familiar steps, and threw herself onto her four poster bed. She only just managed to scramble into a pair of pyjamas before she fell fast asleep.

Her dream was blurry, like she was watching a scene unfold underwater. It was black, and a shimmering hand stretched in front of her, a voice begging her to take her hand. The voice screamed in terror as the hand slipped away, and Rose was lying awake in her bed. The pillow was sweaty, as was her hair. She tried to breathe, but it came out as shallow gasps.

"Rose?" Someone squeaked in the darkness.

"Alice?" Alice Longbottom; a long term friend of Rose's.

"Are you ok?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Rose gasped. "Just had a… nightmare."

"What was it about?"

"Nothing, nothing. Got a fright, is all."

"Ok." Alice whispered, uncertain.

"Sorry."

It took Alice a half an hour to fall back asleep. Rose could hear her breathing deepen, and soft snores trickling from her bed. But Rose sat alert and terrified all night. The hair on her neck stood up, and her palms glistened with sweat. She sat listening to the night, and the owls hooting from the Owlery, and eventually, she watched the slow movement of the sky turn from black to blue, as the sun rose into morning clouds.

At six o' clock, it seemed respectable enough to be awake, and she pulled on her robes and pulled her bag around her shoulders. The common room was deserted, and not a soul sat in the Great Hall. Rose stood in the middle of the hall, and felt something move inside her; the emptiness, the absolute stillness, seemed to revel around her. She felt intoxicated with her aloneness, dizzy with freedom. Until after minutes, hours, years, the door opened.

A figure with white blonde hair walked to the Ravenclaw table. His footsteps echoed through the room.

"Rose? What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Scorpius Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

"I could ask you the same thing." She retorted.

"I'm an early riser." He cocked his head.

"Yes well, I couldn't sleep. I was too occupied thinking of ways to murder you."

Scorpius laughed. "Always the witty one, you were." He sat on the seat opposite her, and looked her up and down lazily. "Not your best look."

Rose's ears flared a violent red. Her hair was thrown into a precarious bun on top of her head, her robes haphazardly slung on her frame, her collar sticking up at the back, and her tie on backwards. "'Snot my fault I had to dress in the dark!" She glared at him with disgust.

"I wasn't _blaming_ you, Rose." He sighed, already bored of their argument. "Why do you dislike me so much?" He stared fiercely at her, his eyes like burning stones.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "You're so arrogant, and you think that everything will just be handed to you, because it _has_ as a matter of fact. Captain of Ravenclaw Quiddtich team, prefect, thousands of girlfriends, straight a's… Head Boy next, eh?" Rose's temper began to build, but she kept her tone minimally harsh.

"Is that what you see?" Scorpius asked, cross now.

"It's what everyone sees. Because everyone wants to be your friend."

"Except you. You won't be my friend."

"Oh I'm just something you can't have. Another follower. Dunno if you haven't noticed, Scorpius. But I don't _follow_." She spat.

Scorpius looked at her for a long time, before speaking very quietly. "I wish that were true." He stood up abruptly, and stalked back through the doors. Rose sat in the empty room once more. But why did she feel lonely now? Where had the euphoria gone? But she was alone now. Utterly alone. The thought made her so sad, she merely rested her head on the solid wood table, waiting.

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><p>Professor Binns droned on and on, and Rose found her eyelids drooping, her head falling lower and lower… Until something hard prodded her in the side.<p>

"OW!" She yelped. Albus muffled a chortle as Professor Binns frowned at a sleepy Rose.

"Everything alright, Petunia?" he said.

"Yes, yes. Everything's fine sir." Rose said, deeply embarrassed. The class sniggered, and the Professor shook his head, returning to his lecture.

"Git." She muttered to the giggling Albus. He gave her an affectionate pinch of the cheek. She pushed him away, annoyed. Her lack of sleep seemed to be catching up on her; that was the second time she nearly fell asleep during school that day.

When the clock finally chimed, Rose almost skipped back to the common room, where she, Albus and Alice cozied around the fire, starting on their homework.

Her encounter with Scorpius had put a damper on the rest of the day, and at dinner, she spotted him looking at her across the room. His eyes were sad, and his mouth mashed into a hard line. Rose stabbed at her potatoes angrily.

"Relax there, Rosie. Wouldn't want you to actually break the plate." Albus watched her with a half smile. Rose bit back an angry retort. Alice suppressed a giggle, and Albus shot her a shy smile.

"Roxy, could you pass the salt please?" She asked her cousin, trying not to snap unnecessarily. Roxy's caramel skin was a rich golden from the summer sun, and her hair was pulled back into a perfect braid. Fred sat next to her, his head bent so low over his plate, you could barely see his face.

She smiled worriedly, and gave her the glass tube.

Rose crawled straight into her bed as soon as she finished her pork chops. Irritated and tired, she slept dreamlessly for the first time in two weeks.


End file.
